Tractor wheel



I I July 12, 193 8. E. A. JOHNSTON TRACTOR WHEEL Filed NOV. 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm \WQ 7 N m M 1i||| r h r v$ m N\1 Q7 Q\ 5 MW I- u m \W m 3 w 3 Q w 3% Jul 12, 1938.

'E. A. JOHNSTON I Fiied Nov. 17, 1935 TRACTOR WHEEL I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ii? 32 21 g5 Patented July 12, 1938 QFFlCE,

C'EQR WHEEL Edward A. Johnston, Chicago, Rh, assignor to International Harvester Conan -1w a corporation of New Jersey Application November 17, 1933, Serial No. 698,446

1 Claim. (Cl. 287-52.03)

This invention relates to a wheel for adjustable tread tractors. More particularly it relates to a clamping hub for adjusting a traction wheel axially of an axle on which it is mounted.

time of the so-called general purpose type; that is, the tractors are readily adapted to a wide variety of farm uses. For certain work it is desirable to have a narrow tread tractor. Forother uses, 10 particularly when implements are mounted on the tractor for row crop work, it is necessary to have a wide tread.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved wheel hub construction particularly adapted for tractors with adjustable tread. Another object is to provide such a wheel which can be set firmly and can be easily and quickly loosened, so that the tread of the tractor may be adjusted. These objects and others which 20 will be apparent are accomplished by a construction such as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a tricycle type oi tractor showing in full lines the wheels in a wide tread position and in dotted lines showing the 25 wheels in the narrow tread position;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same machine shown in Figure l, the dotted lines showing the narrowest tread which can be obtained without reversing the wheels on the axis;

30 Figure 3 is an enlarged detail showing in section the axle and the center portion of the wheel; and,

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the same por tion or the machine shown in Figure 3.

As illustrated, the tractor has a narrow body 35 portion it supported on a steerable front wheel it. The narrow body extends to the rear of the tractor, housing in the casing 32 certain oi the driving gears for the tractor. Said casing also provides for attaching the flanged axle housings lli which extend laterally a substantialdistance from the casing it. These housings are extended as far as possible, depending upon the minimum tread necessary, it being, of course, desirable to support the'axles it, which extend from the hous- 45 ings, over as much of their length as possible. A drawbar 65 for connecting implements to the tractor is attached to annular flanges it formed on the axle housings it. Each of the axles it extends a substantial, lateral distance from its 50 housing It. A keyway ii is cut in each axle throughout its exposed portion.

The wheel as utilized is of a particular construction adapted for a variable tread tractor. A. center section 48, annular in its general outline,

5 is formed at circumferentially spaced locations There are many tractors in use at the present with depressions to provide for attaching an outer series of spokes l9 and an inner series of spokes at angles with respect to each other.

Two mating hub sections 2i complete the wheel. Each of said sections has a somewhat 5 semi-cylindrical portion 22 extending along the axle it. Said portion is formed with an integral key 23 which slidably fits the keyway il in the axle. Each hub section is also formed with laterally extended portions 241 provided with axially l0 spaced holes 25 and with an integral semi-circular flange 26. This flange overlap the centermost portion of the center section it of the wheel and is permanently secured thereto by circular welds at each edge of the overlappedarea. will he noted, as best shown in Figure 4, that the hub sections are spaced apart at their adjacent sides along the axle it. In line with this space, radial slits 2?] are cut into the center section l 8 of the wheel to provide the necessary resiliency for clamping the wheel in position. Bolts 28 are extended through the aligned openings in the hub sections 25.

As shown in Figure 3, the wheel is in its innermost position; that is, with the tread of the trac 25 tor at a minimum. Due to the construction utilized, in which the flanged huh section 2i are secured to the outside of the section it of the wheel with the attaching portions 22 extending axially away from the wheel, the wheel may be axially 30 mounted over the outer end of the housing it. This permits the use of an axle support of maximum width with a given minimum tread.

In adjusting the tread of the tractor without removing the wheels, the bolts 28 may he loosened whereby the wheel may he slid axially out to the end of the axle it. There are no loose keys or other parts to be positioned during such an adjustment. If the maximum width of tread is desired, the wheels are removed and reversed with the hub sections in the position shown in Figure 1. Ryan offset construction of this type,

a maximum tread may he obtained with a minimum length of axle, which is particularly desirable when using the tractor with the narrow 4.5 tread, as the axles project from the wheels when in that position.

It is to be understood that applicant has shown and described only a preferred embodiment of his improved wheel construction and that he claims as his invention all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A wheel hub structure comprising a pressed steel annular hub plate, two spaced apart hub members each consisting of a clamping portion for engaging an axle and a substantially semiannular flange extending from the clamping portion, said flanges being permanently secured to the hub plate, said hub plate being slotted outwardly from the center in line with the space between the clamping portions to provide flexibility forclamping said members on an axle, said hub plate being slotted only a portion of its radial width whereby suiiicient rigidity is retained to withstand twisting and lateral strains, and means for engaging the clamping portions 0! the securing members with an axle.

- EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. 

